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48% (slide 3, attached) of the British public say people working in the voluntary sector do not get enough official honours
Unpaid volunteers deemed most deserving (slide 4) of such honours - ahead of charity chief execs, rich donors and other notables
nfpSynergy’s Driver of Ideas, Joe Saxton, comments:

Less than half (43%) the public think they have heard of the Charity CommissionLess than a third (30% - slide 3, attached) of the public have definitely heard of itOnly a quarter (25%) of public are definitely aware that the Charity Commission regulates and monitors the activities of charities​Public see the Charity Commission’s prime functions (slide 4) as keeping a charity register; and investigating fraudulent/bogus charities

The digital landscape is once again rapidly changing, presenting fresh challenges for everyone serious about exploiting it. For charities, the challenges are particularly stark; for whilst the large majority of charities endeavour to get a healthy return fromtheir existing efforts (which for many means their websites and emails) the whole experience of digital consumption and digital transactions is changing.

You know what the key challenges and priorities are within your own organisation – but how are contemporary economic and political challenges impacting your colleagues in the third sector? Exploring the key findings from our regular survey into what the sector is thinking and prioritising right now, drawing on data gathered in Autumn 2011.

The Charity Awareness Monitor (CAM) surveys the general public twelve times a year on all aspects of charitable engagement - from awareness of brands and donation habits through to views on campaigning, levels of trust and barriers to giving. Drawing on recent data, this session examines the key trends you need to know about this year.

55% of public say best way to prove donations are well spent is a veto on first-class travel for charity staffAlmost half (46%) also say a £50k charity staff pay cap would reassure with just over 1 in 3 (37%) suggesting a £100k cap43% say a charity staff bonus ban would engender confidence42% cited a ‘charity mostly run by volunteers’Just 7% say nothing would make them feel confident that a charity would spend a donation wellSOURCE: nfpSynergy’s Charity

Only 1 in 10 of public think the Coalition has had a positive impact on charities so far, with four times that number saying they have not seen a positive impactOnly 1 in 20 of public think Lib Dems have most influence in Coalition decisions, three quarters saying Tories ‘wear trousers’Labour seen as most pro-charity party – despite majority of people still saying they don’t know which party is most supportive of charities “Our voluntary sector has neither rarely been more needed by the public, nor mo

Younger people and women generally more anxious than older people and men“Dangerous irony: state & charity face ‘Big Society’ cuts just as many people fear they’re about to be most needed”, warns nfpSynergy’s SaxtonA third (34%) and a fifth (20%) of the public say (slide 2) they are fairly or very worried about needing future financial assistance, from the state and from charities respectively, according to new data. Younger people and women are generally more worried about this than older people and men.

The public have a level of choice in almost every aspect of their lives that was unthinkable 20 years ago. But charities have largely ignored the rise in consumer choice in the way they treat their stakeholders.

Legacy giving is an area of crucial importance but presents a myriad of challenges for charities. Bringing together new data from the Charity Awareness Monitor and our experience of researching legacies in a focus group setting, we look at public perceptions of this difficult topic and how charities can grow this important income stream with sensitivity.

While online donations remain some way behind online retail, the share of charitable donations arriving through online channels has risen by 85% in just 3 years. There are also clear signs that charities are taking a more sophisticated and holistic approach to their online communication.

Measuring awareness levels is the first step, but to find the best ways of engaging your target audiences, you also need to know how they understand your brand and work, how they feel about you and how those views and perceptions affect their likelihood of taking action.

“Fundraising should be as effective as possible whilst being as unintrusive as possible - not always an easy circle to square,” Saxton commentsThe proportion of charity supporters who see their charities as “striving to achieve the highest professional standards at all times” has risen steadily (slide 2), from 47% in 2007 to 55% in 2010 - according to new data out today.

Charity not high up wish-list of what people say constitutes “the meaning of Christmas”“Charities cannot take Christmas for granted but season still affords opportunity to cut through tinsel and tug at hearts”, says nfpSynergy’s Saxton The “Season of Goodwill” affords a mixed Santa’s sack for British charities, according to research out today. Whilst (slide 3) 1 in 5 (20%) Brits say they tend to give more to charities at Christmas, a similar number (17%) also claim they find it harder to give to good causes.

Charities rally to rank third most trusted UK institution, behind army / NHS, but sector has long-term ‘trust volatility’ second only to banksCharities trusted most by women, under-45s, donors and worshippers; with different trust-triggers for different demographsAge/size of charity, brand awareness, charitable cause and external events also all impact on trust“Charity Commission’s statutory duty, alone, cannot build public trust in charities.

Elizabeth Finn Care, the Association of Charity Officers, nfpSynergy and Directory of Social Change are hosting a conference on the future of the benevolent sector at Friends House in London on Thursday 20 October.

Elizabeth Finn Care (EFC) commissioned nfpSynergy to complete a broad and ambitious two-part research project into the state of the benevolent sector, looking at current issues and challenges in the sector, and the potential for sharing resources and strategic partnerships.